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Home » Themes » Landscape » Exploration
Gregory Blaxland - Blue Mountains Crossing BicentenaryPrint Page 
A bust of Gregory Blaxland commemorates the bicentenary of the crossing of the Blue Mountains in 1813. The bust contains series of plaques listing the names of donors responsible for the erection of the memorial, including a list of Blaxland's descendants and relatives.
In 1813, Gregory Blaxland, William Charles Wentworth, and Lieutenant Lawson, along with four servants, four pack horses and five dogs, set off on an exploration which was to create history. On the 11th May 1813 the explorers departed from Emu Plains reaching the foothills of the Blue Mountains, or Glenbrook as it is known today.
For Blaxland, Wentworth and Lawson, the trip across the Blue Mountains was a tremendous struggle. Having insufficient food for their journey, they recorded the trek required constant hacking through thick scrub and treading through "damp dew-laden undergrowth". They were also in fear of attack by Aborigines. These factors, in combination with sickness, nearly saw the men defeated by the rugged terrain.
Eighteen days later, on the 29th May 1813, the Blue Mountains was no longer considered an impassible barrier following the discovery of the gently sloping mountains to the west.
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Location
| Address: | Great Western Highway, Blaxland, 2774 |
|---|---|
| State: | NSW |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -33.743931 Long: 150.609295 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Sculpture |
|---|---|
| Monument Theme: | Landscape |
| Sub-Theme: | Exploration |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 1813 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 2013 |
| Artist: | Terrance Plowright |
Dedication
| Actual Monument Dedication Date: | Sunday 12th May, 2013 |
|---|
Plaque :
Blaxland
Gregory Blaxland
1778 - 1853
A member of the Blue Mountains Crossing Party.
Gregory Blaxland crossed the Blue Mountains in May 1813 with William Lawson and William Wentworth under the direction of NSW Governor Lachlan Macquarie
Blaxland & District Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.
Blue Mountains Crossings Centenary
Businesses Supporting Centenary
blue mountains City Council
Terrance Plowright Sculptor
Tom Colless OAM
Philip Hammon
Benefactors
Plaque :
Blue Mountains
Blue Wave
Celebration of Mountains Life
2013 Bicentenary Re-enactment of the Crossing of the Blue Mountains
A commemorative event of national significance
